He had not heard from Tommy or Nancy since they had left, and he had not tried to call them. They needed some time to come to terms with what had happened. And that would take a while yet.

  He caught the low drone as he reached the bottom of the hill. He stopped and let his eyes search the skies. The Scooper dropped out of the grey layer of cloud. He watched it circle the bay, then come in to touch the water against the prevailing wind, tossing up the ocean in its wake. He started running again and reached the harbor as the seaplane taxied in to the dock.

  Two boys rushed out and secured the aircraft to the wooden stanchions protruding from the dock. The door on the Scooper opened, and Tommy climbed out.

  “Everything okay,” Fagan called out.

  Tommy gave a half smile. “As good as it can be.”

  “Tommy, you made it back.”

  They both turned as Walter appeared at the end of the dock.

  Tommy gave him a wave, then swung around. “Where’s the Cessna? Has Nancy taken it out?”

  Fagan gave him a questioning look. “We haven’t seen the Cessna since your father took it. We thought Nancy would be with you.”

  “She should have been back yesterday. I left her in Hong Kong.”

  “Maybe she got delayed.”

  “She was standing on the dock with me. I thought she left directly after me.”

  Tommy pulled out his phone. “I have a buddy in Manila air traffic control. I’ll see if he can track her down.” He spoke rapidly on the phone in Tagalog, the local Philippine language, then hung up, a worried look on his face. “According to my pal, the Cessna has not left Hong Kong. What the hell is going on?”

  “Hey, take it easy,” Walter said. “There’s bound to be a simple explanation.”

  Tommy did not appear placated. “I’m calling Uncle Wei.” He dialed a number that seemed to answer straight away. “Uncle Wei, it’s Tommy.” He quickly got the small talk out of the way and asked about Nancy. He listened, his face becoming increasingly grim.

  “I’m coming to Hong Kong,” Tommy said. Uncle Wei obviously disagreed, because an argument ensued. It went back and forth before Tommy finally disconnected the call.

  “What did he say?” Walter asked.

  “He’s not telling much. He just wants me to stay here.”

  Walter started to speak, but Fagan shook his head.

  “Has he seen Nancy?”

  “He says he’s looking for her.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I’m going to Hong Kong.” Tommy turned to one of the boys. “Jesus.” He pronounced it Heysoos. “Fill it up,” he said and headed up the dock.

  Fagan strode after him. “I’m coming with you.”

  Tommy shook his head. “You don’t have to. Dad never told me what you were running from, but whatever it is, you shouldn’t take the risk.”

  “I think that’s my call. And I’m coming.” He gave Walter a challenging glare.

  Walter held up his hands. “I’ll get my stuff.”

  An hour later, they took off into the grey sky. Tommy took her up into the cloud. Fagan sat beside him in the co-pilot’s seat. They broke through into the bright sunshine, and Tommy brought the aircraft round onto a north-westerly heading.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Fagan said.

  Tommy looked across at him. “Is that why you asked me to hide the SIG Sauer onboard?”

  “It was your dad who said we should be prepared for trouble.”

  Tommy seemed intent on something out in the blue yonder. “I’m beginning to wonder if trouble found him.”

  21

  Hong Kong.

  Four hours later, they dropped out of a murky evening. The lights of Hong Kong arrayed before them like a magic city. Tommy kept the island of Lantau on his left as he brought the Scooper in, skipping across the water, then eased her down. He taxied the aircraft into the seaplane dock on Tsing Yi island.

  Fagan could see the Cessna tied up against the jetty. A boy rushed out to help them tie up the Scooper as they climbed out. Tommy said something to the boy in the local tongue, and the boy answered. They exchanged more words, then Tommy handed the boy a banknote, and he scurried off down the dock.

  “I asked him if he had seen Nancy. He said she left after I took off yesterday. She has not been back. But he told me there were men here earlier today, looking around the Cessna.”

  “Did he know who they were?”

  Tommy nodded. “They were Eddie Tang’s boys.”

  “Wasn’t he the guy your father talked about when we had the barbecue? I seem to remember he said he was trouble.” Fagan said, recalling the celebration which now seemed an age ago.

  “He’s trouble all right, the local lowlife. He’s Triad, he’s been trying to muscle into Dad’s operation,” he paused, pondering what he had just said. “But Dad always kept him under control.”

  “So why was he here, or his boys, checking out the Cessna?”

  “I have no idea,” Tommy said and headed up the dock.

  “Where are we going?” Walter called out as he hurried after him. “I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

  Fagan gave him a hard look, but Walter shrugged it off.

  “We’ll try Dad’s apartment. Maybe Nancy is there.”

  “Don’t you think your uncle will have checked there?” Fagan said.

  “You’re probably right, but at least we can use it as a base while we look for her.”

  “Shouldn’t you go see your Uncle Wei?” Walter said.

  “He told me to stay away. He’s liable to throw me in jail, or at the very least, he’ll stand here on the dock while I fly away again.” Tommy looked across at Fagan. “And you don’t need a run in with him. I’m sure the last thing you want is Uncle Wei digging into your background.”

  Fagan wondered how much Charlie, or Nancy for that matter, had told him.

  “Shouldn’t you at least call him?” Walter butted in.

  “If he has anything, anything he’s willing to share, I’m sure he’ll call me.”

  It was almost eight o’clock when the taxi dropped them at the Mid-Levels. Tommy led the way under the covered walkway and onto the escalator.

  The early part was busy as they climbed past brightly lit bars and restaurants, but as they climbed higher, they were left alone.

  “We get off here,” Tommy said as they reached a part where the escalator ended, and a walkway ran a short distance before it started again, climbing further up Victoria Peak. They dropped down a short flight of steps, then followed a narrow street up the hill. Tommy led the way and turned into a pedestrian walkway.

  “This is dad’s apartment building,” Tommy said, pointing to a nineteen-seventies styled high rise.

  They went in through the front door. The place looked shabby and neglected. They entered the elevator, and Tommy pushed the button for the twelfth floor. The door closed and began to ascend. They stood there, not speaking until it jerked to a halt. The door slid open, and the hallway light came on, illuminating the front door to the apartment opposite.

  “My God,” Tommy stood with his mouth open, staring at the police crime scene tape, crisscrossed across the front door of his father’s apartment. “What the hell is this? My father had a heart attack.”

  They stepped out of the elevator, and the door slid to a close behind them.

  “Tommy,” A voice called out of the darkened stairwell. “I have been waiting for you.” A skinny Chinese man with a bad complexion and a diamond in his ear stepped out into the light. Three others moved out behind him. One was pointing a gun.

  “You never return my calls.”

  22

  Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Island.

  “What do you want, Eddie?” Tommy asked.

  The man shrugged. He had a pock-marked face and was a good bit older than any of his companions. "I heard you were in town. I thought we should have a little chat.”

  “News travels fast.”

  Eddie Tang smiled. “I knew you were in Hong Kong by the time you tied up at the dock. I thought you would come here. It seems a popular place. The police have been crawling all over it. See, they left their calling card.” He waved a bony hand at the yellow tape. “Even your sister was here yesterday.”

  “What has my sister got to do with anything?” Tommy said. “You stay away from her.”

  “I will decide what I need to do. But I would like to have a little talk with her. She paid a visit to your father’s apartment. Choo here, saw her go in through the main entrance to this building.” He nodded towards a skinny youth with pink hair and a gold ring through his nose. “But no one saw her come out. She went in through the front but chose to leave a different way. We assume that was by the garbage gate at the back. Why do you think that was?”

  He didn’t wait for an answer. He pulled out a cell phone and made a call. “Boss, I have Tommy Whitaker and two of his friends. We are at Charlie Whitaker’s apartment.” He listened, then hung up and stuffed the phone in his pocket. “My boss wants us to wait inside. He would like a word.” His face broke into a sickly smile. “That is usually a very painful experience.” He looked at Tommy “I take it you have the key?”

  Fagan assumed the Eddie doing all the talking was Eddie Tang, the man who had been giving Tommy and Charlie trouble. He decided it was time to intervene. “The police won’t like it if we disturb their crime scene.”

  Tang looked across as Fagan spoke. “You have something to say, old man?”

  “Only that it’s late. An old man like me needs to get his rest. Why don’t you and your friends come back in the morning? We could talk over some Jasmine Tea.”

  “Funny man.” Tang nodded at one of his companions.

  He looked a little older than the pink haired one, and he was tall and well built, his muscles developed, probably using weights and perhaps a little extra. Tattoos adorned his neck and biceps, and he had a look in his eye that showed maybe he was using what Tang was peddling.

  He walked up to Fagan, a confident bounce in his step and a cocky grin on his face. A blade appeared in his hand. “Shall I cut him, Eddie?”

  “You should put that away before you cut yourself.” Fagan deliberately provoked him.

  The youth lunged forward with the knife. Fagan sidestepped it, grabbed his wrist, and wrenched it with a sharp twist. It broke with an audible crack. The youth screamed and dropped the knife.

  He could have just disarmed him, but he reckoned it was time to make a statement. He pulled him in close, shielding himself from the one with the gun.

  “Shoot him, Ling,” Eddie called out, reaching for something inside his jacket, but Fagan already had the SIG in his hand. He brought it up beside his human shield and squeezed off a single shot. The sound was muted by the suppressor. The one with the gun screamed and fell to the floor, clutching his right knee. Fagan now had the SIG pointing at Eddie Tang’s head.

  “Okay, we’ve tried polite. Now hands where I can see them.”

  For the first time, Eddie Tang looked nervous.

  “You have no idea who you are getting involved with,” he said as he raised his arms.

  “No, you have no idea,” Fagan said. “Now nice and slow. Weapon on the floor.”

  Eddie slowly pulled an automatic pistol from the inside of his jacket and laid it on the floor.

  Fagan glanced across at Tommy. “I think we should take this to the basement.”

  Tommy pressed the button for the elevator. The door slid open.

  Fagan looked at Eddie Tang. “Let’s go inside.”

  The one on the floor was still groaning, clutching his bloodied knee. Fagan nodded towards the one called Choo with the pink hair. “Give your friend a hand.”

  Fagan was still holding onto the one with the broken wrist. He was moaning softly. He pushed him into the elevator.

  A door down the passageway opened and rattled against a check chain. The face of an old Chinese woman looked out. She uttered something in Chinese.

  “Close the door, Missus Chung, and go back to bed,” Tommy said, stepping towards her and blocking her view.

  The face gave him a hard stare, then shut the door.

  Tommy picked up the gun Eddie Tang had dropped.

  “Do you know how to use that?” Fagan asked.

  “My Dad taught me how to shoot.”

  Fagan didn’t get into the difference between shooting a gun and shooting someone. “Take that one.” He pointed to the guy with the broken wrist who was already in the elevator. “If he gives you any trouble, shoot your friend Eddie in the kneecap.”

  The look on Tang’s face was one of pure hatred.

  Fagan glanced across at Walter who was standing against the wall. His face was a little pale, but apart from that, he seemed fine. Fagan gave him a reassuring nod and a tight smile. They had been friends a long time, and Walter had seen all this before.

  “I think you should take the stairs.”

  “Don’t you think I’ll fit?”

  “Wait outside. Any sign of trouble, call me and disappear.”

  “Joseph?”

  “Trust me. If we get split up, I’ll see you back at the plane.”

  Walter gave a reluctant shrug and headed down into the stairwell.

  Fagan grabbed Eddie, and they crowded into the elevator.

  “What’s down below?” Fagan asked.

  “Garbage bins,” Tommy said.

  “Sounds appropriate.”

  Tommy hit the button.

  Fagan pulled Eddie Tang in close. He smelled of fried rice and perhaps a hint of cocaine. Fagan ground the barrel of the SIG into his ear. He didn’t speak but the look he gave Tang said it all.

  They reached the basement, and the door slid open on to a small area with large green plastic bins beneath chutes from the upper floors. Fagan moved out of the elevator pushing Eddie Tang in front of him.

  “Okay, down on the floor, sitting on your hands.”

  “Man, it stinks down here.”

  Fagan pointed the SIG at him. “Down on the floor.”

  Eddie Tang and his crew did as they were told.

  Tommy stood over Eddie, the gun pointed at his head. “Stay away from my sister?”

  Tang grinned. “Don’t worry about little sister, my men will find her.”

  Tommy ground the gun into Tang’s forehead. “If you harm her.”

  Fagan appeared beside him and gently pulled the gun aside. “You don’t need that.”

  Tommy continued to stare down at Eddie Tang. Then he took a breath and let the gun drop to his side. “What are we going to do with them, call the police?”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea? I’m not sure that I can explain how I come to have this.” He waved the SIG in front of him. “See if you can find something we can tie them up with.”

  Tommy looked down at Tang, then disappeared through the outer door.

  Eddie Tang was still smiling.

  “When my boss get his hands on you, he chop you into little pieces. He is gang boss for Bamboo Tiger, biggest Triad gang in Hong Kong. He take no shit from no one.”

  “You should hope you live long enough to tell him how you screwed up.”

  Tommy returned, carrying a length of washing line and the knife he had retrieved from outside the apartment. “Is this okay?”

  Fagan took the knife and rope and trussed them up, one by one. Tommy squatted down beside Eddie Tang.

  “Did you have anything to do with my father’s death?”

  Tang grinned. “Oh Tommy, I am so sorry about your Poppa. But we both know Hong Kong can be very dangerous place.”

  Tommy grabbed him by the front of his jacket. “If I find out you were in any way involved. I swear I’ll kill you.”

  “Brave words, when you have the big man standing behind you.”

  Fagan put a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “Leave him. We will deal with all that later.”

  Tommy let Eddie Tang go and stood up.

  There was a clatter on the steps, and Walter appeared. “We’ve got company.”

  “Who?”

  “I didn’t stop to ask.”

  A woman began singing in Chinese. Fagan looked around, then reached into Eddie Tang’s jacket. He pulled out a top-of-the-range iPhone and looked at the caller ID. It was in Chinese characters. He showed it to Tang. Tang gave him his nasty smile. “Freddy Choy, now there is a man you don’t want to meet.”

  Tommy was looking nervous. “This is bad. ”

  “Don’t tell me, this Freddy Choy is Eddie’s gang boss.”

  Tommy nodded. “Freddy is a real mean son of a bitch. We need to get a long way away from him.”

  The woman stopped singing.

  “Let’s hope they go upstairs first.” Fagan pointed past the garbage bins. “Can we get out that way?”

  Tommy nodded. “Follow me.”

  Fagan watched him and Walter leave. He tossed Eddie’s phone into the trash bin, then squatted down beside him. “Tell your boss, he doesn’t want trouble, and neither do I. Tell him to leave Nancy and Tommy Whitaker alone, and we can all get along just fine.”

  Tang flashed his evil smile. “You really are crazy, man. This time tomorrow, you will wander with the hungry ghosts.”

  Fagan tapped the barrel of the SIG on Tang’s forehead. “And you’ll be walking right beside me.”

  23

  Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

  The bar was tucked away down a back street in Wan Chai. Tommy had led the way, as if following some sixth sense. None of them had spoken on the journey. Walter and Fagan were nursing beers, but Tommy sat staring at his phone on the table. Fagan decided not to push him, but let him bring it out in his own time. He didn’t take long.

  Tommy slammed a hand on the table, making Walter grab for his beer. “Why doesn’t she answer her phone? Why hasn’t she called me? I’ve left her a zillion messages.”

  “I’m sure Nancy will be fine,” Walter said.

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Think of the positive side,” Fagan said. “Eddie Tang was still looking for her, which means they don’t have her.”

 

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